Apparatus and method for handling rubber goods



T. SLPER.

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HANDLING RUBBER GOUDS.

l APPLICMIUN mtu JUNE 1?. 192x.

i, ,399,898, Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

Ti SLPER.

APPARATUS AND Mmmm ron HANDLING RUBBER conos.

T 1,399,898, Patented Dee. 13, 1921.

3 SHEETS SHEET 2 n ,w mi i T. SLOPER.

APPARATUS AND METHOD FDR HANDLING RUBBER GOODS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE l?. |921.

Patented DDD. 13, 192..

SSHEETS-SHEET UNITED STATES PATENT omer..

THOMAS sLoPEn, or DEVIzEs, ENGLAND.

Specification of Letters latent.

YPatented Dee. 13, 19e i;

Appuauon ined Julie 17;"1921. serial No. 478,319.

To all 'u1/wm ifi muy concern.:

lie it known that I. THoMAs Snor-mi, a

subject of the King of England, residing at Devizes, Wiltshire, England, have invented certain new and useful Im rovcments in Apparatus and Methods for -landling Rubber Goods, of which the4 following is a specifcation. i

This invention is for an improved apparatus for use in the manufacture of rubber foods and a method of handling such goods during manufacture, and has particular reference to a method for removing goods from the molds in which they are vulcanized. AS is well nowu, rubbcrgoods have a tendency `to adhere to the metal molds, so that even where the shape of the foods is such that the mold'could be made in one part, it often has to be made in several parts to iisist the removal of the article1 and this makes the mold more expensive than would otherwise be the case,'for example, in the manufacture of tire-bands, that is tires huilt 'up in the fiat, prior to their beinpr shaped to receive the inner tube, the mold takes the form of a drum having a channel or channels in its periphery correspondingr to the form of the tire-band. The tire-band is built into this channel and then bound round exteriorly to keep it under-pressure while it is vulcanized. With tires of the lighter types such? as-those used for cycles there is comparative! little difficulty in removing them infban vform from the mold but this process becomes very diliicult with larger and stouter tires such as thosel used for inotor cars', because the stouter fabric of such tires offers: renter resistance to stretching and causes vtf o tire to cling to the mold after it has 'been.unstucltu by thc usual methods. According to this invention, the method of manipulating rubber goods to place thcui on, or remove them from. a support which they closel'yl'it consist-s in applyinpr the open side of.a 'vacuum-chamber to thc goods. ,which chamber is tixedrelativclvtothe goods and spacel away tlerefrom but has Iii-'xible or mov ble, or both flexible and movable lips toieiffect a seal between it :imi ll=c goods. and tlin creutinibr a vacuum or partial vacuurr'in the chamber so that part of the vgoodsembraced by thc .scaling lips of the vacuuln-clmnibcI' is mort-rl toward lh'I clumbex away from thc support.

For the purpose of manipulating Lliet tire-bends to remove them or lplace them on the periphery of 'a cylindrica support, the method may consist in covering the exposed side of the tire-band with an open sided vacuum-chamber having flexible or movable, or both flexible and movable lips to malte a seal with the edges of the tire-bend, exhausting, the air from the chamber so that the band is Hexed away from its support and finally withdrawing the support while the band is thus iexcd away.

B a further step, this method can be extelued. to remove the tire-band from one support and place it on another, which further step consists `in substituting another support for that which has been withdrawn after-flexing the band away from it and then admittin r air to the vacuum-chamber so that the bam is allowed to contract on to the sulistituted support.

'The inventioi further relates to apparatus .for carryiinur out the above methods of n'ia-nipulating ffhit tirebands, which :ep-

' puretus may be variously formed. :is hereiir after described, and the novel features o f: 4which are'pomted out 1n the claims appended to this specification.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is'a transverse section through one half of au annular form of apparatus for Amanipulating a tire-band;

Fipj. 2 is u similar view of the same apparatus with the parts in a different position;

Fig. Si isa section through one half of u modified form of annular vacuumeclmmber showing the method of bringing the tireband support into position;

Fig. 4 is a section through half of a tirebaud and. half of an annular tire-band sup- "port und a 'surrounding vacuum-chamber in position for operation;

Fig. 5 shows the same parts as in Fig. 4 but at. a different stage of Athe operations, and

Fig. (i is a transverse section through half of au annular tire-band and its support to gelber with a inodilied form of vacuumi-lizuuber.

l.iln reference characters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

composite support designated generally lo. tho letter for the tire-band (Figs. 1 11nd Ji comprises a central annular portion .-r and two Side rings A2 which ure detachable from the said central portion. The cylindrical face of this composite support is shaped to give the requisite form to the tire-band B on that side which is covered with rubber, and for the purpose of the present invent-ion, the sup ort A may constitute the mold u on whlch the tireband has been vulcanize The wrapping which is placed around the tire-band while on the molti isfremoved and then the mold with the tire-band on it is introduced into the annular vacuum-chamber (l. The vacuumchamber is supported by any convenient means, and the mold is similarly supported by any convenient means in such manner as to lie centrally within the vacuumcham ber. The main wall of the vacuum-chamber is thus spaced away from the support A around the whole of its circumference and is held rigidly in relation thereto, but the edges of the wall are provided with inturned lips D of flexible material, such as rubber? These lips constitute jointin -rings which are made to bear u on the e es of the tire-band, as shown in `ig. 1 to e ect a seal therewith. To introduce the mold, the lip on that side whereby the mold is brought into position may be temporarily held backby a ring J oflarger diameter than the mold inserted in the lip, as shown in Fig. 3.

Connection is )nado with the vacuumchamher through a conduit G to exhaust,A apparatus, not shown in the drawings, and when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, the air is exhausted from the vacuumchamber with the result that atmospheric pressure forces the tire-band B into the poA sition shown in Fig. 2, whereb the tireband is flexed away from the mo d enabling the latter to be withdrawn after removing that side ring A 'which is on the trailing side during the withdrawing operation, that is, if the mold'is to be withdrawn to the left as seen in Fi 2, the side ring A2 on the right willbe rst disconnected.

Where it is not desired to remove a side ring A2, or where the support for the tireband is such that it cannot be removed, the construction of apparatus such as is described in Figs. 3-5 ma. be employed. In this form of apparatus, tie mold E is shown as having no detachable siderings and the annular vacuum-chamber F is provided with spef cially shaped jointing-rings F. ln each side face of the member F is a V-shaped groove F2, and each jointing-ring extends across the, groove on the side of the member F on which it situated and projects beA yond the same tprovide the requisite sculing lip. The join`ting-ring is shaped to fit into the groove F2 but is molded so that it normally lies out ofthe groove though covY vriug the opening of the same, nnd the tleX ilih lips :ilun'iys lic beyond the groove so as lo lloct lh.l requisite scaling with they tire band. A conduit G is connected with exi haust-apparatus to enable the main vacuumchamber to be exhausted, and conduits G1 separately connect the grooves F2 with exhaust-apparatus.

To enable the support E with the tireband H thereon to be brought into position, a ring J may be temporarily inserted in the jointing-ring F on that side at which the tire-band support is to be brought Lnto position. This ring is of larger diameter than the support and the tireband s'o that it holds the lip back, as shown in Fig. 3, to permit the easy introduction of the support. When the support is in place the arts take the position shown in Fig. 4 w en itI will be observed that the lips of the'jointing-rings F1 lie in contact with the edges ofthe tireband H. Air is now exhausted from the main vacuum-chamber and if required, from the grooves Fz also, which will cause the tire-band to be expanded away from thel support E 'until it assumes approximately the position shown in Fig. 5. The support can then be removed without diicult Instead of, using a ring such as il to raise the lips for insertion of the support,

air may be exhausted from the grooves F.

ber, which rings are undercut on those sides.l

toward each other, as shown' at K1. Iny usf ing this form-of apparatus the edges of 'the tire-band nre-pried up and the lips of the jointing-rings K are introduced .between` them and the wall of the sup' ort A prior'to exhausting the vacuum-chamber.

This invention 'is not restricted to removing tire-bands from a cylindrical support, as by the same method and apparatus tirebands can be first removed, say from the former upon which they are built up, by placing the former within the annular vau# 11m-chamber and operating the 'apparatus as has been described above, and then after the former has been removed n mold member muy be introduced and the tire-hund can be relaxed on to the mold. After vulcnnizing, the same apparatus can he employed as has already been described for removing this tire-band from the mold.

Again the tirehnnd may, in some cases, be vulcnnixed ou the inner periphery of an annular mold member, in which case vit would lic removed hv n vaciium-clmmber which would hc placed Within the fnold and tirehand- The open wall of the vacuumchamber 4will thus be on the c lindrical face of an interior member insteady of on the inner periphery of n surrounding member.

Instead of usinrr the jointing-rings D, F1 or K, jointing-rings having a hollow base, such as are described in my (ro-pending patent application filed simultaneously herewith may bc employed. lt will be seen that such rings can be made suliiciently resilient to effect the necessary sealing with the edges of the tire-band andthen when the latter is to be drawn cornpletelv away from its support, the inner peripheries of the jointin rings can be expanded b exhausting the air from the hollow base o? the jointing-rings. Also other forms of jointing-rings to give the desired expansion of lip couldV be designed.

In the case of tire-bands for heavy tires and when they are to be placed on a support, the seal between the annular member C or F and the tire-band may be effected without a preliminary support. that is the tire-band may be merely pushed into position within the annular member so that the sealing-lips enga'e the edges and then it can be exan ed by exhausting the air in the chamr thus formed and the support on which it is to be placed introduced while it is in this expanded condition. Air can then be admitted to the. chamber and the band will contract on to the support.

hat claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A method of removin an endless band, from a circular support w ich it surrounds or lacing it thereon, consisting in pneumat- :ica ly exanding the -band by producing a pressure elow atmospheric around its outer periphery and thereby flexing the band away from its center, movin the su port or the expanded hand axialfy in re ation one to the other, and then establishing ab mos heric pressure at the outer periphery of t e bant and thereby allowing the same to contract.

2. A method of removing a Hat tireband from a cylindrical support which it surrounds, consisting in pneumatcally ex panding the tire-bandby producing a pressure below atmospheric around its port while the band is thus 3. A method of manipulating flat tirebands, that is to remove them from, or place them on the periphery of a cylindrical support, consistin in covering the exposed side of the tireand with an open-sided vacuum-chamber having flexible lips to make a seal with the edges of the tire-band, exhausting the air from the chamber' so that .the band is flexed yaway from its support,

and finally withdrawing the support while the band. is thus flexed away.

4. A method of manipulating flut tirebands, that is to remove them from, or place them on the periphery of a cylindrical support, consisting in covering the exposed side of the tire-band with'an opemsided vacuumchnmher having' collapsible lips to make n sea] with the edges of the tire-band, exhausting the air from the chamber so that the lips are collapsed and the band is flexed away from itsI support, and finally withdrawing the support while the band is thus flexed away.

5. A method of transferring flat7 tirebands from one support, such as a foi-mer, to another, such as a mold, consisting in closing the flexible annular mouth of an unnular chamber by placing said band carried by its support against the lips of the chamber which effect a. seal at the band, exhaust ing so much air out of said chamber that the band is stretched away from its support, withdrawing the liberated support from and placing a different support into the general plane oi" said band, and finally admitting air into said chamber and thereby causing the band to contract on to its substituted support.

6. A method of removing` flat tire-bands from the periphery of a cylindrical support, consisting5 in insertingr the annular flexible lips of the annular mouth of an annular chamber between the edges of the band and its support and thereby closing the mouth of the chamber with the band, exhausting so much air out of' said chamber that the band is stretched from its support, and finally withdrawing.:` the support while the band is thus stretched.

7. The combination.` with a member having a cylindrical face recessed circumferentially to receive a band. ol a second member concentric with the lirst, having a cylindrical face opposed to the recessed faire of the first member and spaced away therefrom, one of said members having two annular grooves one in each of its sides, two annular jointing; rinus secured one on each side of the groovefl member to close the lgrooves therein and arranged to enter said grooves under Huid pressure and having each a lip extending beyond the inner periphery of Said grooved member to contact with the edges of said bend and form u chamber with the member which carries it und with vsaid hund; a duct opening through said grooved member into said chamber for exhausting the air therefrom, and exhaustingr ducts openin 1' one into each of said grooves.

8. The combination, with a member havin n cylindrical' face recessed circumferentia ly to receive a band, of a second member concentric with the first, haring a eylindrical face also recessed circumferentially opposed to the recessed face of the first member and spaced away therefrom, one of said members having two.annular grooves of V-section one in each of'its sides, two annular jointing rings of V-sec`tion secured one on each side of the grooved member to close the grooves therein and arranged to enter said grooves under fluid pressure and having each a li extending beyond the inner periphery o said grooved member to contact with the edges of said band and form a chamber with the member whirli carries it and with said bandmduct o penin through said grooved member into sai chamber for exhausting the air therefrom, and exhausting Aducts opening one into each 0f said grooves.

9. The combination with a cylindrical support having a recessed outer periphery for receiving a band, of an annular member having a recessed inner periphery concentric with said support and spaced away therefrom, said support havin two annular rooves oneY in each of its si es, two annuar jointing-rings secured on said support one on each side of said member to close the grboves therein and arranged to enter said grooves under fluid-pressure, said rings having each a lip extending inward beyond the inner periphery of said member and arran ed to contact with the edges of said ban and form a chamber with said member and saidband, a duct openin through said member into said chamber or exhausting the air therefrom, and exhaust ducts opening one into each of said grooves.

10. A method of removing an endless fiat tire-band from its su port consisting in covering the expose side of the tire-band with an open-sided vacuumchnamber having flexible lips to make a seal with the edges of the tire-band, exhausting the air from the chamber so that the tireband is expanded, removing the support from within the expanded tire-band and admitting air to the chamber to allow the tireband to centract.

11. A method of placing an endless flat expanded band and admitting air to thev chamber so that the band is contracted on to the su port.

12. pparatus for manipulating an endless tiatr 'tire-band. that is to remove it Y fromV or place it on a support, comprisin my combination an annular member o greater diameter than the tire-band which is to be manipulated, inward1y-directed sealing-lips of flexible material on the edges of the member which project inwardly a sufficient distance toseal with the tire-band and means for exhausting air `from the chamber formed by the annular member with its lips and the tire-band.

13. A method of removing a flat tire band from a circular support which it surrounds or placing it thereon, consisting in expanding the band by subjecting it to greater fluid pressure on the inner side of the band than on theouter, flexing the band away from its center by this means. moving the support or the expanded band axially in relation one to the 'other and then reduc ing the pressure to which the band is subjected so that the latter is allowed to contract.

'14. A method of removing flat tire-. bands from the periphery of a c vlindricai.

In testimony whereof 1 have signed my Y name -to this specification.

' THOMAS SLOPER. 

